NEW YORK (WKBW) — As part of his 2021 State of the State agenda New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a proposal to prevent individuals with active warrants from purchasing guns.
The governor's office says the proposal would prevent individuals with active warrants for a felony or serious misdemeanor offense from purchasing guns and closes a federal loophole.
"New York State will close a federal loophole that was created when the Trump Department of Justice reinterpreted an existing firearms law to mean only individuals who have fled from one state to another for the purpose of evading prosecution while subject to an active or imminent arrest warrant would be prevented from purchasing a firearm, while those subject to an arrest warrant who remain in state are free to buy guns," a release from the governor's office says.
Officials say this proposal would flag individuals with outstanding warrants who have not crossed state lines to evade arrest in the National Instant Background Check System and prevent them from purchasing a gun.
"As COVID-19 continues to exacerbate the gun violence epidemic in America, the state of New York is continuing to build on the strongest gun safety laws in the nation and putting more safeguards in place to keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous individuals," Cuomo said. "We will do everything in our power to protect our communities and combat this violence and destruction in all of its forms."
